There’s something deeply wrong with the right wing British nationalist media – AKA the media – and it represents a serious threat to the future of democracy in the UK.
Last week we had a wall to wall obsession with a highly paid BBC presenter who had allegedly paid a young person under 18 but over the age of consent for explicit photos, and blanket coverage of multi-millionaires batting balls about a tennis court, a middle class sport that the great majority of young people will only be able to fund if they can find a wealthy BBC presenter to pay them a fortune for explicit photos. By Thursday we learned that the unnamed presenter in question was Huw Edwards and that the police had determined that no criminal offence had taken place. The media narrative swiftly pivoted from pearl clutching moral outrage to “poor Huw and his struggle with mental health issues.”
This story was first reported in deeply moralistic tones by the Sun newspaper. That would be the same Sun newspaper which often carried photos of naked 16-year-old Page 3 girls from 1970 until 2003. This means that possession of certain old issues of the Sun is now a criminal offence. Possessing these old copies of the Sun is literally a crime of indecency. But now the Sun poses as the great champion of moral standards, ‘scuse me while I boak.
The concern shown for the privacy of Huw Edwards and the concern for his mental health stands in very marked contrast to the treatment meted out to former Scottish Government minister Derek Mackay after it emerged that he had sent a teenager over the age of legal consent text messages calling him cute and suggesting that they meet up.
Derek Mackay was not alleged to have procured explict photos of the young person, and a police investigation determined that no offence had taken place. To be very clear, I am not condoning Derek Mackay’s behaviour, just because something is lawful doesn’t mean that it is right or appropriate, however unlike Huw Edwards Derek Mackay was not only publicly named, and no consideration at all was given by the media to his family, but he was also subjected to BBC presenters insisting that his position was untenable and supporting calls for him to be sacked immediately. Zero concern was shown for his mental health or his family’s wellbeing.
Likewise the media treatment of Nicola Sturgeon, Peter Murrell, and former SNP treasurer Colin Beattie, as well as then SNP MP Michelle Tomson, has been markedly different from the concerns for the anonymity of Huw Edwards and the Conservative MP who is out on police bail while being investigated on an allegation of rape. All of the SNP figures have been publicly named, doorstepped, and subject to strident calls for their resignation yet none of them have been charged with any offence. There could not be clearer or more obvious examples of double standards.
In the case of Michelle Thomson, she announced eight months after allegations of “irregularities” in her property transactions surfaced that she had had no contact whatsoever with the police in connection with the matter, despite Police Scotland announcing in September 2015 that they were conducting an investigation and a media witchhunt ensuing. No charges were ever brought against Michelle Thomson and no offence was ever found to have been committed. But that didn’t prevent the media from publishing her name and conducting a feverish and highly public campaign against her.
While the Huw Edwards, moral panic was going on, the Conservatives were continuing to trash standards of honesty and decency in public life and all without the media appearing to notice or care. Rishi Sunak – Mr Integrity, Accountability, and Professionalism- managed to take time out of his busy schedule of ignoring the contemptuous antics of his former boss and predecessor to condemn the BBC for its handling of the Huw Edwards affair but so far has not been able to utter a single syllable about Boris Johnson being found to have lied to Parliament or about the seven Conservative MPs and peers who had colluded with him in a campaign of intimidation against members of the Commons Privileges Committee who were investigating his many and repeated lies.
Johnson has continued to lie and to treat democratic accountability with contempt, aided and abetted by a right wing media that continues to indulge him. Distracted by Huw Edwards and middle class ball batting, the media scarcely noticed that Johnson missed the deadline for handing over his old mobile phone and WhatsApp messages to the Covid Inquiry. Johnson and the Conservative Government claim that they cannot hand over the data because Johnson has forgotten the password. Allegedly the combined forces of the British Government are unable to access the data, we’re now deep into “the dog ate my homework” territory when it comes to Johnson’s excuses.
Mind you it’s not totally implausible that Johnson can’t access the data on his old mobile phone, it’s possible that he was using face recognition and now he can’t remember which of his two faces he originally used.
Meanwhile the right wing press continues to ignore Conservative wrong doing and to shamelessly gaslight the public about Brexit. According to the Express on Sunday the UK’s new planned trade deal with CPTPP group of South East Asian and Pacific countries is a Brexit boost worth £12 trillion to the British economy. However according to the Conservative Government’s own modelling, over the long term this trade deal could increase UK GDP by just £1.8 billion. That’s 0.015% of the figure in the Express headline, which must surely take the record for the biggest Brexit lie told by the British media, a field with a lot of competition. One Asian financial analyst told Sky News the impact was a “cosmetic” post-Brexit announcement.
A study by Bloomberg Economics published in January found that Brexit is costing the UK economy £100 billion a year, with the effects spanning everything from business investment to the ability of companies to hire workers. This new trade deal will not make a dent in that figure. The £12 trillion figure is in fact the combined GDPs of all the countries in the trade bloc. Joining that bloc certainly does not mean that those countries are going to devote their entire economies to the UK. The combined GDP of the EU is over £16 trillion but the UK walked away from that while the Express cheered, waved union flags and went on about migrants and Meghan and Harry.
The exact same lies, misrepresentation and distraction characterise the British media’s reporting of the Scottish independence debate, all wrapped up in a bundle of double standards, demanding that pro-independence politicians are subject to a level of scrutiny and accountability that is levels of magnitude greater than that given to the British nationalist right, and prioritising stories about the fitba and ferries over any news which is positive for the independence case. This is why support for independence is not higher than it is, yet it is a testament to the strength of desire in Scotland for a better country that half the population currently want independence despite a constant barrage of British nationalist propaganda that is only going to intensify in the months and weeks before the next General Election.
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The treatment of Michelle Thomson by the SNP at the time left a lot to be desired
Nicola Sturgeon delivered the same treatment to herself for the sake of the party country and her own sanity and safety
Once England has decided to destroy, they use everything they have to do it
Without independence it will not stop
Damned if you do something or damned I’d you do not.
That’s why the news media hint and smear and taint. They know it works and to the satisfaction of the their foreign owners.
Scotland is a financial and cultural basket-case that needs the support of mighty England/UK …but despite the financial drain on these southern philanthropists they are reluctant to cut ties with this pauper nation such is their empathy with the downtrodden .
And are these verminous Scots grateful for this largesse ?
Do they show due reverence and respect to their ”betters” for this continuing benevolence ?
Do they f*ck !
Despite the British media daily highlighting the shortcomings of their SNP ruling junta the Scottish voters still remain ungrateful to their southern neighbours .
Regardless of the scare stories reported by BBCScotchland , some of which even have a morsel of verisimilitude , the principled Tory and Labour parties cannot gain a majority in their wee pretendy Parliament .
Minor setbacks for the Tory Government like PPE , Test’n Trace , HS2 , rape in Westminster , Brown envelopes for influence , peerages for spies , etc…have been eclipsed by the monumental Motorhome scandal which has seen Police Scotland drop all other investigations and call in help from the Met , MI5 , Interpol , international Rescue and Tom Cruise to cope with the scale of this scandal .
But , despite this these ungrateful wretched Scots invariably vote for a political party that is determined to save the English/British Exchequer its annual stipend to Scotland by seeking Independence .
They continually agitate for their own Independent ”country” despite being the only nation on earth that could never run its own affairs competently , which the Governments of Boris Johnson , Liz Truss and Richi Sunak have had to point out repeatedly .
They have been gifted the most powerful devolved administration in the world and yet are still not happy !
So much so that they continually seek to devise ways to manufacture disagreements with the source of all power at Westminster , causing the Governor General , much against his wishes , to step in and overrule their scandalous attempts to help the environment by collecting waste bottles or reduce drug addition problems by offering a solution . What can you do with such people ?
And yet , despite the thankless attitude of the Scottish peasants , the generosity of Westminster continues unabated :
helping the Scots remove excess electricity from their land ;
removing the burden of Oil and Gas revenues ;
allowing them to house the UK’s nuclear subs and bombs ;
sharing their King with them ;
taking them out of the perfidious EU ….
Quality!
👍
😀
Reblogged this on Ramblings of a now 60+ Female.
Why don’t we just do the same as the City of London and decide we are a 1067 Company.
William the Conqueror game the city the ability to create the Most worshipful company.
Seems the government don’t interfere with their use of their independence as they are not actually on the same island being like the oil and gas based somewhere.
The government don’t interfere with the crown territories, no stopping their local laws even although they have Governor Generals.
Don’t want to upset the trust funds or demand taxes.
I give you the Country of Scotland Corporation.
Andrew Tickell asked the question in a recent national article though he didn’t suppy an answer IMO.
Why do only some people who are arrested find their name in print?
https://archive.fo/npR9e#selection-1771.3-1771.266
There are indeed plenty of inspector McCloueau’s in Scotland, but they unfortunately exhibit the behaviour and nature of Chief inspector Dreyfuss
Also Derek McKay.
Also Michelle Thompson, who was never even questioned by police, also had yards of press and TV speculation about her honesty splashed all over the media to her cost.
That was a really good article which I read yesterday from Tickell.
We are watching the end of the UK. Any pretence of impartiality is completely out the window. Take heart from that as it means independence is near.
Seems there is only one political party operating in Scotland according to the BBC.
https://archive.is/EgFbf
My browser won’t open that link – says archcive.is is not secure which is odd as it’s Iceland.
Just go here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/scotland/scotland_politics
It’s not like it’s going to change and suddenly there will be stories about Labour splits on the rape clause or something.
Unionist political parties just don’t exist; that or have zero problems. All just happy, united and ready for government…
They even get the one party quotes wrong. They quote part of Alex Salmond’s final sentence in his eulogy for Winnie Ewing that she was the “spirit of Scotland”. Sounds like a malt whisky. What he actually said was that she was the “radical spirit of Scotland”. Big difference.
I need to know what size shoes they all wear, what aftershaves/perfumes do they like, why aren’t the BBC raking their bins for bits of paper pertaining to personal information, what kind of coffee machines do they prefer, we need to see more tents outside of SNP homes, especially the non palatial ordinary ones in ordinary streets with ordinary neighbours with no swimming pools or duck ponds
The BBC might as well tell us this stuff because they’re running out of made up lies
How about this one, did you hear about the one and only Labour MP in Scotland, Ian Murray, you know the one who’s always complaining about SNP activists and vigilantes hanging around his office?
Well Ian Murray lone Labour MP in Scotland complained again, but it turned out the vigilante activists were Labour party members protesting against guess who? the Labour party having turned into *the Tory party*
Never saw that one on the BBC news, gosh didn’t they know about it?
It must be all this attention they’re paying to the popular party that distracts them
From what I can tell, they were environmental activists from Green New Deal Rising.
https://www.gndrising.org/our-campaigns/
When being interviewed any MP or MSP should mention it just the same🏴🤫
I have just been watching Panorama on the behaviour of MPs in Westminster. Naga Munchetty chose to focus on SNP politicians for three quarters of the programme when most of the sleeze has been about Labour and Tory MPs over the past two years.
Naga hates the SNP.
Click to see full image.
No thank you.
A certain English blog’s author will be jealous of Starmer’s title.
Michelle Thomson was not arrested. The Law was changed in 2016 in Scotland. To arrest people then investigate. Instead of investigating and then arresting. On malicious complaint, A Domestic Abuse Act that cannot be dropped or appealed.
Women who cohabit, the majority, do not have equal rights or get legal aid. A claim has to be put in within a year. It can take years and cost £thousands. Letting agencies demand 6 months up front rent and deposit. Even from women with good credit.
The Police are now charging abused women and people with additional needs. It cannot be dropped without political connections.
Making money out of council house sales. A Tory occupation. A bit dubious.
Ben Wallace skeletons in the cupboard.
The countdown has begun. People who support Independence need to get out and vote. A higher turnout. March to the polling station.
Caroline Lucas asked why the government has failed to produce the accounts for the last 2 financial years.
The treasury answered that they were having problems with their software and thought the 20/21 accounts would be ready in Q3 of this year.
Your ordinary punter would be fined for being a week late.
The SNP accounts,big spread in the media, no comment.
@davetewart @ 9.44am on July 18th
Well that is very interesting dave….because they, the SNP, were told if THEY did not file THEIR accounts by a CERTAIN date then THEY would lose out on over £1 million of public funding AND would be subject to a FINE by the Electoral commission ….
BTW that is the SAME Electoral commission that let the Tories OFF the hook in 2019 when they decided to NOT take any “enforcement action” on the £3.6 million THEY, the Tories, spent in the run-up to the 2019 general election without explaining what that money paid for…..indeed it was found that the Tories were responsible for almost 60% of the unclear invoices in the Electoral Commission’s database for the 2019 election…..more than 200 of the 347 local Conservative branches that submitted returns for the general election failed to include any invoices at all for their spending, meaning it was impossible to find out exactly what they spent their money on.
As part of the rules in elections “Political parties are legally required to submit invoices for any spend over £200 during a general election, explaining what the sum was spent on”……
BUT there is more…. as also in 2019 £1.5 million of the Brexit Party’s election spending was unaccounted for…..and also £1.1 million of the Labour party’s spending was unclear…..but also via the 2019 GE the Electoral commission found offences related to the “late reporting of donations” and “their spending return” from the 2019 UK general election via the Lib Dem party who then were subject to five fines via the Electoral commission.
So …pretty much another ‘Do as I say NOT as I do’ episode….and with the clutching of pearls from all of the above opposition parties and their media against the SNP for NOT perhaps being able to file their accounts on time (They, the SNP, did though…much to the dismay of the opposition and media)….those SAME sources (hypocrites) were and are all once again happy to be a part of the CONSTANT ‘ONE rule for the SNP and another rule for all of THEM’ in their UK politics……aka hypocrites….
Also BTW ….2019 is NOT a unique year in an election where BritNat political parties have been investigated (or not as was the case in 2019 for the Tory party) via their spending and reporting ……by the Electoral Commission…..
So let’s have NO morality lessons from OTHER parties aka BritNats (and their client media) on what is right and wrong and good and bad in respect to behaviour etc in politics …..when they, BritNat parties, are themselves very much GUILTY of the very things that they weaponise to target the SNP…as do their bloody respective client media who also indulge in these ‘Oh aren’t the SNP bad ‘ tactics….while simultanously they , as a media, promote their favoured political BritNat party they also collude with them in supressing their respective political actions/indiscretions in politics and too the various wrongdoings that they ,as a political BritNat party, are guilty of….that is as in the client media presenting them , as a BritNat party , as if THEY were/are whiter than white and NOT in reality guilty of the very SAME actions/behaviour that they (too) often accuse the SNP of being guilty of …..the Pot, Kettle, Black syndrome associated with both BritNat political parties and their BritNat media…..
Have a nice day dave (and everyone else)
🙂
** “.while simultanously they , as a media, promote their favoured political BritNat party they also collude with them in supressing their respective political actions/indiscretions in politics and too the various wrongdoings that they ,as a political BritNat party, are guilty of”
Well that’s a mess….me bad again …
Perhaps better if I wrote “.while simultanously they , as a media, promote their favoured political BritNat party while also colluding with them….. in them, as a media, supressing their respective BrtNat political actions/indiscretions in politics and too the various wrongdoings that they ,as a political BritNat party, are guilty of”…..
Appropriate here I think.
The strategy of convincing people that Scottish independence will bring a fairer and more equal society sounds lovely in theory, but when most of the people opposed to Scottish independence are opposed to the very idea of equality, because they feel they are better than others to begin with, is not going to convince any of those people to embrace that idea
So that group of people will keep calling themselves unionists and voting accordingly as it’s the only tool they have to fight against the equality they neither want nor believe in
In the snobbery of aspirational politics, people are sold the notion that their place in life can and should be better than the person next to them if they follow the correct dogma, and in aligning with that dogma are already improved and made better, whether by religious financial or even postcode attachment to it
*One of us* is much better than being *one of them* is an easy concept to sell to people who don’t want to be in the derogatory sounding category of *one of them*
What those folk fail to comprehend is the posh well paid brain surgeon can’t function without the work of the electrician, who can’t work without the cable guy, who can’t work without the labourer who dug the ground, who can’t work without the guy that made the shovel
Equality is respect for everybody, British Tories and Labour don’t sell that
The SNP offer it at no cost in Scotland
I’d been mulling over the “wall to wall obsession with a highly paid BBC presenter” as it blew up just before the weekend of the 7th July, and my first thought was what had the media been orchestrated to cover up.
Granted that the “lies and hypocrisy” of the media is well evidenced by SNP coverage, notably from the ‘impartial’ HMS James Cook, but it was recalling James own confected diversion to Tory embarrassment at the Tory election conference in Perth which kept nagging, the Huw Edwards story was a diversion for sure.
Yesterday I skimmed through the Covid 19 Inquiry sessions on YouTube, and wondered if the Monday 10th July session held a clue.
As I listened to Dr Claas Kirchhelle’s testimony, whose report had been requested by the Inquiry, it was understandable why the Tories in particular would be nervous over this getting news coverage, a fairly damning indictment of years of austerity, and the peculiarities of England’s systems being prone to Ministerial interference.
When the media can be manipulated for any particular political party’s ends, it is not only distinctly sinister, it ceases to be journalism….
Well spotted. Of course, the media DID know the inquiry was being held when Nicola Sturgeon was giving evidence hence the “witness box” v “soap box” jibe.
The Huw Edwards story was possibly well know inside the BBC and on hand to amplify when needs must. Maybe they haven’t forgiven him for having a Welsh flag as a backdrop when told to foreground “the flag”.
“Of course, the media DID know the inquiry was being held when Nicola Sturgeon was giving evidence hence the “witness box” v “soap box” jibe” plays into the “lies and hypocrisy” aspect much as James “like the suit ?” Cook has promoted.
With Kirchhelle’s report and the following week’s witness testimony roll having already been published for the following week, it was not a shot in the dark for Sun.
To be clear, Starmer has as much to lose in this as Sunak, they are both playing the “affordability” game, which is proving pivotal to the Inquiry’s evidence gathering…
# Sir Kid Starver
I see DAME Jackie Baillie has come out to DEFEND “Sir Kid Starver” over the two-child benefit cap …..as apparently Anas Sarwar was unavailable…..so “unavailable” that the media were unable (unwilling) to track him down…..as branch office MANAGER of the New New Labour party…..
In December 2007, the same Jackie Baillie defended Labour leader Wendy Alexander on Newsnight Scotland, during the controversy regarding alleged illegal donations to Alexander’s leadership campaign…..so she , her Dameness, has form then in her hypocritical actions/words….
Then there is one Douglas Alexander , who is Wendy’s brother, and also is now a candidate for New New Labour in the next GE , who said at the time, when his sister resigned as leader of the Labour branch office, that he “blamed the ‘politics of personal destruction’ for the departure of his sister”…same Douglas Alexander that in 2015 was noted as having ” deleted tweets criticising the SNP leader over reports she admitted she would prefer David Cameron to remain as PM” .and who in promoting that LIE had been seen to be indulging in an attempt to apply his own version of the “personal destruction” of , Nicola Sturgeon, as OUR FM in hoping for her “departure” then as leader of the SNP…..now he arrogantly assumes he will WIN the seat for New New Labour in the next GE…same Douglas Alexander who was prominent as part of the BT campaign in 2014…..where he colluded with others in attempting to also oversee the “destruction” of independence ever happening for Scotland….
See her Dameness. (and Douglas) ..always OPPOSES all and criticises anything generated or connected to the SNP…BUT she (and he) will always DEFEND and support anything generated and connected to her (his) party……yes I know ….that is how politics seems to work and also how it is played out in their UK….BUT she and he, like other BritNats , are given an excessive platform to do BOTH of these things by the media here in Scotland (and elsewhere)….while the SNP and those supportive of them are not “ALLOWED” the same opportunities to promote/defend their actions via the SAME media…..and that is why we, Scotland, need OUT of their UK….to make it ALL stop….and get rid of the hypocrites….as in all of the BritNat political parties and too their media…..
Apologies for excessive comments AGAIN…and yes I know …..perhaps that makes me TOO a hypocrite in repeating same bad behaviour on this site in my constant (too long) comments knowing that it may annoy some people…sorry but honestly tis not my intention to do so…..assuming anyone actually reads them…LOL
Sir Kid Starver. Starmer, Starmer the kid starver.
That’s no gonnae go away. And so very fitting.
The cross border labour split is widening each day, and it’s only going to get worse as Starmer chases the right-wing brexiter vote with his eyes on lining his pockets via the keys to No 10.
We are so close to indy even the northern Branch office is falling out with English HQ.
Will keep you posted on how the Western Branch Office reacts and any developments from First Minister Drakeford:
https://nation.cymru/news/do-not-let-welsh-children-down-fm-urged-to-pressure-starmer-on-two-child-limit/
Plaid Cymru have today (Tuesday 18 July) written to the First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford urging him not to “let children in Wales down” and to pressure Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to rethink his policy on limiting means-tested support to families’ first two children.
[…]
Thing is, it’s too late now for Starmer the kid starver. We know he’d climb over the bodies of starving kids to line his pockets via No. 10. Even if he reversed his stance, everyone has seen the man he truly is and it would just be another u-turn, even if a welcome one.
Look forward to the daily wrecker’s article on the collapse of Slab. Political leadership is disarray, sarwar and ballie break down.
Aye right
Just saw a sarwar video of him saying he opposes the two child cap. BUTT.
Stv news clip.
See the tories are at it again, the rich cynic is Bent says the ERG.
‘Proud Scot but’, ‘Socialist but’, ‘Oppose rape clause but…’
Here you go:
In an episode of HIGNFY last night actor and presenter Alexander Armstrong described government controlled Russian TVs endless propaganda as exactly the same as the BBC
Of course he did it in a comedy show, so it’s likely he won’t face the wrath of the high heid yins in the Government of England unlike Mock the week who got removed altogether because of being too “lefty”
[…] Source […]
Sir Kid Starver and his allies ( The Starvelettes ? ) have been busy refuting the ridiculous calumnies that , just because they refuse to dismantle Tory Poverty Legislation ( Rape Clause !!! ) and are intent on replicating Tory financial restrictions on anyone who is not in the richest 1% , that they are SOMEHOW just like the Tories !
Really ? I ask you !
Just because we ACT like Tories doesn’t mean we ARE Tories , they state .
And Sir Tony Bliar has been given media absolution for all his war crimes and is now a go to pundit for the mainstream media and is backing Sir Starver and The Starvelettes – so he can’t be a Tory , can he ?
Sir Kid Starver is trending in the UK…..time for ANOTHER U Turn is it ?
Not one to watch BBC Rep Scotland but if tonight they did cover this mess of New New Labour embracing and retaining yet ANOTHER Tory policy then surely they could not omit his, Starmer’s , new APPROPRIATE name that today is trending the UK….Kid Starver by name Kid Starver by nature …..political one. (and too same goes for his Title as in SIR)
Meantime, What’s the plan to deal with increases in power consumption with harder to deal with finding and funding the move to renewables?
Today we in Scotland are importing a thousand megawatts due to low winds, transferring 500MW to Northern Ireland.
The media are still on the usual diversions, cabinet shuffles.
It’s been while since I had a look at SGP with the delusionist’s. Some seem to think Angus MacNeil – yes him , will deliver independence.
Honestly, do you think they are all on whacky baccy? Lol 🏴
Have you noticed the only people the Alba ists embrace are those that throw tantrums and invent ways to attain Scottish independence that England will just lie down and accept meekly, in other words, folk who lie or might say something bad about the SNP, that could apply to Labour Tory Liberal Democrat and Alba
Top down “I will deliver whatever’s in your mind” politics
They should ask him just what he did during the 2014 referendum.
Well! What did he do during the 2014 referendum? I sense a disappointing reply from Mr MacNeil.
While I am enjoying the spectacle of Sir Kier Starmer and his Labour party’s faces melting over their ridiculous lies over the two child benefit cap as if they just opened up the Arc of the Covenant, Labour Lord George Ffor Ffookes sake has managed to get his Tory government to investigate the SNP spending on the independence question as an “against the constitution” issue
I have no doubt whatsoever that threats to Holyrood’s continuation and Scottish governance will soon follow
Almost as I write, the United Nations has condemned the UK government’s illegal migration bill as “in breach of international law”
And all of this just as the UK government has signed an international prosperous great for Scotland trade deal to allow some donkeys to travel freely from some land in South East Asia that has too many donkeys
Every day I look up and give grateful thanks Scotland is under the dictatorship of England, or we wouldn’t be having all these damned wonderful benefits they keep bestowing upon us
BBC NewsNight had John McTernan on last night together with the rejected/blocked candidate for Labour in the next GE as in Jamie Driscoll, the current Labour Metro Mayor of North of Tyne, who has been rejected by New New Labour to stand for them as a candidate at the next GE because apparently he once sat on a panel with film Director Ken Loach and failed, according to New New Labour, to condemn remarks made by Loach that they, New New Labour, deemed were “anti-Semitic”…BUT the reality is that he, Driscoll, is just TOO Left wing for New New Labour….same New New Labour that thinks it can win over Scotland at the next GE by being….MORE TORY….Hmm
Part of the discussion was related to Sir Kid Starver’s new Tory position on the two child benefit cap….where McTernan stated “Labour won’t lift the two-child benefit cap” where he argued that instead “poverty will be eradicated by economic growth”….same McTernan who in 2022 also stated that:
” ‘Thatcherites’ are safe to come home to the Labour Party’”….
So if “Thatcherites are safe to come ‘HOME’ to the (New New) Labour party” then that would surely mean that the welfare of children under New New Labour is then NOT safe ……Thatcher being the w*t (rhymes with PET) dream of many a traditional Tory voter of old (and current)……meanwhile for many within Scotland her name ,via her actions, were MUD (and elsewhere too within many places in the UK)….so then one should ask…..why on earth would Scotland expect to also feel “SAFE” with a Thatcherite embracing New New Labour in charge of the UK as the next UK government ?
Q’s…Q’s….but you will NOT get HONEST answers from either McTernan or New New Labour indeed all you will get is once again another UK government CONNING us….. and too a succession of BritNat whitewash heavily disguised to appear as if they, as a new government, will and are implementing what they are currently promoting as being “Change”……
The reality of course will actually be more a case of a ‘Continuation’ of Tory policies and rhetoric…..as the only “Change” we here in Scotland will EVER experience or witness will be with independence……
BTW Jamie Driscoll has now quit the New New Labour party and is going to stand as an independent , there is a fundraising campaign for him, which in less than 24 hours, is set to reach 50% of his new £150,000 target….I hope he wins against New New Labour in the next GE….this being another example, like the Rutherglen & Hamilton West seat , where there is an anticipated By-election …where yet again New New Labour HQ were accused of a “stitch up” in them ignoring activists by them instead selecting their preferred candidate….and the one that New New Labour HQ chose to be selected as their candidate for this potential By-election seat…..had formally quit the Labour party in 2019…..guess why….because of BREXIT…Ha Ha….now that is , given New New Labour’s pro Brexit position, absolutely farcical is it NOT !…..yet again tis also so very very apt for both THEM and too tis also , in respect to their chosen respective candidate, a clear case of a lack of credibility and validity …..
Also as to John McTernan ,who was the chief of staff for Labour’s Jim Murphy in the 2015 disastrous General Election campaign, a GE that saw Labour lose 40 seats and only retained the ONE Tory , as in Ian Murray, in his seat…he seems to be the GO TO guy for media , both MSM and now also the ‘alternate’ (Tory) media GB News, who seem to LOVE to seek HIS opinion about politics HERE in Scotland….Ha Bloody Ha….a PROVEN (bad) loser predicts ….how unwanted and unasked for is that…..by us the public …..having to listen to his GUFF in political debates/discussions…..have we here in Scotland not suffered enough ?
Time more Scots got clued up about what’s what….then for sure New New Labour would be shown the door here in Scotland…for GOOD !
John McTernan!?! Have they opened up the crypt again?
“Thatcher the snatcher” stuck in reference to her scrapping free milk in primary schools for children in the 70’s when she was education minster and was started by…the Labour Party.
Kid Starver has earned his new name as well and it is well deserved. by failing to scrap the rape clause two child benefit cap, he will not escape that fate very easily and especially not here in Scotland.
OT – Marina Hynde in the Guardian does what journalists are supposed to do – tell us how corrupt the British elite really are – and it’s shocking, even for the hardened denizens of WGD.
After 20 years, here’s why the Post Office scandal is special: the cover-up is happening in plain sight
https://archive.fo/3gM2D
God Capella…..I admire you. I’M AFRAID i’M RUNNING OUT OF STEAM (YES..PHYSICALLY)…..oops….left the caps lock on.No matter.
I dont know where we go from here Capella ..I really dont…but I CAN tellyou this.
I know you met a Rubicon and left the party.I appreciate your thoughts.
I was close to the same…..not when Nicolla resigned…. but in summer 2022…(after a lengthy discussion with a fellow member…..he’s now an Alba member…I will never do that.
Dr Jim is right……
I think it’s anger that keeps me going, anger at the stupidity and greed of the Westminster elite. We have to get out of their clutches. But I’m also hopeful that the drive for independence is gathering pace.
I resigned in protest at the manipulation of the NEC. Still waiting for the report about how party democracy will be restored. But I would rejoin if result was positive and I would still vote SNP.
I admire your stamina in keeping on keeping on! We have to, for future generations.
In a way it seems an odd policy to tell your neighbours you don’t want a third kid from his poorer family being born and growing up to work to pay for his state pension but you don’t mind inflicting your own kids on him and his current and future taxation to pay for your own kids because you’re financially better off than him with better prospects and a private pension
Is this the political engineering of people? I can’t seem to work out where a so called socialist Labour party can possibly agree with the Tories on this, unless Labour are in fact now really really the Tories and the current other Tories are, well something else entirely removed from politics altogether, and are now just a profit making business corporation with head offices based in the Houses of the English parliament
London inc PLC, *politically lurid conservatives* employing Sir Kid Starver as regional director
A useful tool is “Tools” on the google toolbar. If you click on that you’ll see “Any time”; you can scroll down and click on “Custom range”. There you can enter any range of dates you like, such as “1 Jan 2012 – 30 Sept 2014”. It’s not perfect, as often pages have other articles linked on the page and they could be recent ones. The trick by the way is to click on any pair of dates for “from” and “to” then you can enter manually.
But if for instance after selecting the date range, you put into google search, wait for it, wait for it, “Angus MacNeil yes scotland” or some other keywords, you’ll get a whole load of entries, and patience would show that he actually did quite a lot during the Indy Ref, and looking at the hansard entries will show that as one of Scotland’s only 6 MPs who supported independence, he took any chance basically of mentioning Independence in those hollowed halls.
And now he has given up.
Angus MacNeill, currently the media’s favourite nationalist.
Its not disputed that he made plenty of fine speeches at Westminster. I doubt if any of them won a single YES vote at the referendum. Six of us went out leafletting or canvassing in the Western Isles every Saturday for almost two years. He didn’t join us on a single occasion. During the last 4 weeks before the referendum, we didn’t see him once except for the last day when a film was being made. From my personal experience, he didnt lift a finger during the campaign and a number of us wondered of he actually wanted us to fail. Because he could then continue making fine speeches at Westminster. And earning a huge salary. I’ve been one of his strongest supporters because he started out well in 2005, but even I’ve had enough.
Kid Starver and his Speak your Weight addendum in Scotland , Anas , keep excusing their lack of action on abolishing the Rape Clause by citing ”Fiscal responsibility !” They claim that they have costed their manifesto ( unseen as yet ) so will not be steam-rolled into making uncosted pledges ( Pledges , Keir ? ) .
In 2021- 2022 Government expenditure was £1040 billion . Numerous estimates have put the cost of scrapping the Rape Clause restriction on child benefit at £1.4 billion .
This clause affects around 1.5 million children and has been responsible for greatly increasing child poverty .
I want to hear some interviewer ask Sir Kid Starver or any of his senior Labour ( sic ) colleagues :
What greater priorities does a LABOUR GOVERNMENT have than lifting families/children out of poverty ?
What other issues are SO important to a new Labour Government that it cannot spend the relatively paltry sum of £1.4 billion in reducing poverty ?
Yes, exactly. Richard Leonard was replaced as leader of the Scottish branch office because he wasn’t right wing enough for Sir Kid Starver.
Sarwar the millionaire business owner as the new Scottish branch office manager was just right for the new new Labour Party who are now more Tory than Thatcher ever was. Even she didn’t take from food from hungry children’s mouths, just their milk.
Indeed Alex…and the branch office wants us to believe that they have THE power to “change” things while we are literally witnessing HQ dictating to them and overruling them in who THEY, HQ, wants as the New New Labour candidates for elections throughout the UK…including in Scotland…..
Vote New New Labour get TORY….and you also get Sir Kid Starver (and HIS Brexit)….so not a conundrum for us here in Scotland is it…. as in why we can never trust them or indeed why many of us will never vote for them ever again….indeed the ONLY conundrum is why MORE Scots cannot ‘seem’ to see New New Labour for what and who they REALLY are….though perhaps they can…..here’s hoping !
@ Capella @ 8.50pm on July 18
Capella as shocking and sad as that is…..it is no surprise.
Having watched various documentaries on Netflix, which were set in the USA, and watched/heard some stories about how specific institutions and the establishment collude with each other and they do this because they are, within society, in a position where they hold so much power , are basically corrupt and too are totally immoral……with MONEY being at the root of why they behave in this manner.
I , and others too, are under NO illusion that within the UK the establishment and specific institutions are the exact same and that they too are motivated by greed and too in retaining their power and control…..over us…
What is worrying is that when one looks at some of the shocking things that HAVE been revealed in respect to the UK government and ALSO some Police forces within the UK (and other institutions)….one wonders what shocking information have we NOT been made aware of…..I for one am under NO illusion that there is NOTHING that some within the establishment will NOT do to keep a hold of their total power and too the money that they acquire via them holding that position as THE ones in charge within the UK….and too that they do this to ensure that the status of the UK remains intact….as in nothing would be too underhand, dirty , illegal and too immoral for them to conceive and then implement in way of plans and thus tactics to retain their elevated and dominant position within the UK.
Only those who are still naïve and gullible think that , for some, certain lines will never be crossed…..where as I , and I am sure others too, KNOW these lines are frequently crossed…..when one looks at what THEY see is at stake if THEY lose some of their power and control….and MONEY……and thus I am sure that others collude with them to cover up things that THEY do.
Corruption, incompetence, criminal behaviour and generally all things one should expect never to see ,hear about and witness via all of those within the establishment…..are I am sure commonplace and the motivation is clear….
I am not a mad conspiracy theorist…just a realist who is more than aware that within this world ….that those with power and money are protected, are driven by their greed and their motivation to retain all of their power and control and that they are protected by those who, we would assume, would be there to expose them as opposed to covering up for them and suppressing their deeds…..
Some of the stories I have heard and watched prove that truth is indeed stranger (and more incredible and unbelievable ) than fiction….and too way way more dark…..
NB….and NO…I do not wear tin foil on me heid ….just clued up and savvy as to what’s REALLY what…..and thus NO they are not coming to take me away…Ho Ho ,Ha Ha, Hee Hee…..LOL
Have a great day Capella
🙂
To continue the theme of my previous comment…just read on social media:
“Why did BBC Scotland impose a two day news blackout of the Scottish Labour ‘two child cap’ civil war? It broke on Sunday and was major news on Monday but not one of BBC Scotland’s flagship news programmes reported it. Somebody ordered the blackout. Who?”….as in the trending #Sir Kid Starver
Same BBC who I remember once warned us, the public, of the dangers of social media…..via misinformation (Ha Ha), unreliability on facts (Ha Ha), fake news (Ha Ha) and how WE should not seek to find all of our information and facts from there …..as better to get our misinformation, lies and fake news via MSM…like say the BBC…also Ha Ha.
Chinese whispers is MORE reliable than the BBC for news and information …that’s how BAD they are as an institution that is supposed to provide us with OUR news where WE are and also elsewhere….the word is if you hear, see and read about it via the BBC news….check it via other sources before you believe it…say like….on social media….where usually stories are broken FIRST and only when they go viral do the MSM outlets , like say the BBC, then feel compelled to mention/note these stories ….BUT only fleetingly and with provisos ….as in “however some critic say” or ” the opposition say” etc etc ….all to protect those they seek to promote while damaging those they seek to destroy….Britain first that is THEIR only motivation…..and we all know the category that they, the BBC, file the SNP under….and also where some of the BritNat parties are filed too….
British Biased Corporation….emphasis on first two….mind you GB News and TalkTV …the new supposed ‘alternate’ channels….well they are giving the BBC a run for their money in the misinformation, bias and fake news stakes are they not…..a very BRITISH broadcasting stitch up in their UK ( STV News can also venture into BBC territory too….and do not get me started on Scotland Tonight which via he title of their programme can sometimes be considered an oxymoron….with some of their invited guests, topics covered and at times the specific partisan (pro Brit) political slant that they seem to take and that they regularly include within many of their programmes)……oh aye but somehow WE and those who represent us politically within Scotland are somehow the REAL problem within the UK today….button up the back….NOT.
Have a nice day everyone
🙂
Aye, even their website only published an article 17 hours ago on the Scottish/Politics page, https://archive.ph/pvGNr, very much attempting to downplay the public fury over it in Scotland, complete with ‘Analysis by Philip Sim’, essentially trying to soften the damage to Sarwar’s electoral prospects.
On the latest Lesley Riddoch podcast, Pat read off results of polling in England, a high majority in favour of retaining the 2 child cap.
– It is astonishing how very differently the public on either side of the border view this, as if those in need are somehow going to stash it all in an offshore account rather than spend it in the local economy.
It says much of the Scots that that they stand by social principles when politicians do not, presumably widespread distrust of the media has helped them retain it.
😂 you too NMRN
Going shopping? nothing’s changed:
Great news from England’s media everybody, the Tory government has saved us all from absolute starvation poverty to only being very poor, as the new inflation figures show a tiny drop in the terror that the Tories inflicted upon us in the first place
Don’t get over excited though they say, because as yet we will not notice any lowering of food and fuel prices for some time to come as the markets are always slower to respond to this great news
In other news the markets are always very quick to respond to everything else
There is great hope on the horizon though with a general election looming that might see the other political party of England being elected, as long as they keep swearing blind they won’t change a thing from what the current English party have done
The iceberg hasn’t gone away but England want’s to change the driver as long as he keeps aiming the boat in the same direction (redcoat politics)
“Going shopping”?
Don’t get me started about “shopping”…as if I needed an excuse….in starting that is…..LOL
My weekly supermarket shop is now so stressful…more than halve the stuff I USED to buy is no longer available….also with there being such a limited and poor choice you have to either take second best or do without….it’s like being in a third world country living under the UK’s incompetent government and their Brexit with mucho Bonanza missing……
PLUS the prices are extortionate…..even the shops own brand has risen in price…..well we , Scotland, can thank Labour for all of this and too Gordon Brown…..but for them and their pledges and ‘interventions’ aka LIES in 2014 …..perhaps things for us could have been so different against what we have now GOT and also NOT got….and too are having to live through……as in a living Hell for still staying in their UK….THANKS for nothing…literally NOTHING….so hopefully next time more peeps in Scotland will say NO THANKS to the UK….and YES to Indy.
Oh aye and this is (nothing) like Nirvana so it is(nae)….this UK…. it has never been OK for us or “BETTER” for us….or even “BETTER” than other countries (though UK is NOT really a real country is it)……if the BBC were not such liars they could then target the real culprits instead of their daily #ScotlandIsSh*te ….they could even tell the truth that tis the #UKThatIsSh*te and too the #ToriesThatAreBad (Red & Blue ones)….as opposed to who they choose to decry in their… also…. daily outpourings i.e. their daily #SNPBAD….via their website, radio and TV news….I think it is the #BBC-News-Who-Are-Sh*te as well as their UK….IMHO
It’s like living in a nightmare…..and one where not everyone seems to be aware that it, the UK, tis like living in a constant nightmare….or rather sometimes it seems that way…hope I am wrong….and that others are indeed more than aware of same info and facts as us…..and have FINALLY concluded best option is OUT of the UK….and all of the #Sh*te that goes with it !
@ Capella @ 2.07pm
Oh this is just getting better (worse) and better (worse) !
Is it only in the UK that people living here are considered MUGS and not actually CITIZENS….if not it should be…because that is the bloody truth !
Correctical 🙂
I think that’s fair…
Provided the mothers had to provide proof their 3rd child was the result of rape.
They did, didn’t they? Maybe a Question ought to be raised in WM.
When Police Scotland are forced to issue a statement defending the use of blue murder style tents outside the former FMs home with phrases like ” investigations moved beyond initial reports” then re-justify that statement by saying “for the protections of identity and privacy” then we know for sure we are bowling down the rabbit hole of wonderland excuses
By the minute Police Scotland are disappearing up their own backsides over the protections and identities of those involved with bringing these ridiculous accusations about missing money against Nicola Sturgeon, Police Scotland are now insinuating *and there’s more* without any explanation
If this investigation is as they say *in the public interest* Police Scotland had better be on 100% safe ground in their claims of correct scrutiny, because if it turns out there was never anything more than money being spent on a camper van and some posters instead of on something else deemed more Independency sounding then the great Scottish public will pay back this Brobdingnagian cooked up farce by voting SNP in the same Brobdingnagian numbers at the next general election
I’m beginning to wonder what they can cook up to charge her with next
Has there been a Murrdur?
Alex Salmond has now weighed into the two child cap being imposed by both Tory and Labour on Scotland by repeating the old Labour mantra to Humza Yousaf that Scotland must *mitigate* for it
Well there’s true Labour colours if ever you saw them, mitigate mitigate mitigate
Salmond sounds just like Henry McLeish and Jack McConnell
Mitigate it with what? Mitigate it how? This is how Alba Tory and Labour opposition in Scotland works, they will the end result without offering the means, just suck it up and do what Westminster orders while simultaneously complaining about it to the punters to get votes
The point is not to be stuck within this English union where Scotland has to keep on mitigating for English decisions that we are forced to live with, not carry on bloody mitigating until we have nothing left
This is an England policy that would never occur in an independent Scotland under the SNP because not one single SNP representative is a multi billionaire protecting their own global investments like the ones littering the English dictator parliament corporation
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a forensic tent used to pick up some books in an investigation into financial affairs of a business. I can’t see how the tent would assist in privacy either as we all knew whose house it was. Unless of course it was privacy for actors in this farce that were not Police Scotland officers (allegedly).
I don’t buy it. The whole thing is increasingly looking like a Russian style use of the police to harass political opponents. I suppose we should be grateful that no one accidentally fell from a window in the process.
As for Baillie and her insinuations. The Tories are unpleasant but New New Labour are if anything even more intellectually dishonest. I look forward to Baillie singing the praises of the rape clause.
It beggars belief really. That the Tories can splaf billions on dodgy contracts and hardly a hair is turned but huge amount of resources are being expended by the police to see if donated funds have been spent on independence things or normal things. What are normal things in a party commited to independence? The opposition complain constantly that independence is all the SNP think about and work towards. Now the opposition are trying to tell us we aren’t independency enough.
I contributed, I’m not convinced all of the seven people that complained did. I’m not phased by how the party has had to meet unexpected costs (2017 and 2019 elections). I am also certain that should a referendum occur the SNP will throw the kitchen sink at it. I don’t think the police are serving my interest in this at all. I think they are serving the interests of someone else. I’m not given to conspiracy theories because generally I think governments are too incompetent to pull them off. However, that doesn’t stop them from trying from time to time.
Per this article below Police Scotland are sounding more and more desperate about trying to make out there was no big deal about blue tents
https://www.thenational.scot/news/23665159.iain-livingstone-snp-finance-probe-moved-beyond-initial-reports/
It’s now 105 days since the former CEO of the SNP was released without charge. That’s a long time with no evidence coming to light even though a massive team and hundreds of thousands in resources is being put into the investigation.
Tick, tock.
Probably the worst possible outcome for the UK would be a court case over e.g. a wheelbarrow that someone ordered for home using the party Prime account (for free delivery), but forgot to use their own card details or something. Then everyone will know it’s Russia / Belarus style political, if they are not increasingly worried about that – and rightly so – already.
I had no ideal the PM, SoS for Scotland could seek an arrest warrant for people until all this.
I can see public calls for Labour and the Tories to go through the same process of investigation down the line. That’s where this leads.
British nationalists should be careful what they wish for. I this turns up nothing, the SNP become the squeakiest of squeaking clean parties going into any election. The only one that can claim their accounts are tip-top and nobody is trousering anything. The rest? Well, what are they hiding…
British nationalists should be careful what they wish for. I this turns up nothing…
Or, I should be clear, even if someone personally was up to no good, the same applies. The media has presented this as ‘the SNP’ as criminal, from me as a member, right up to all those at the top, including, by implication, elected members.
That all comes crashing down if nobody – or even a few individuals – were up to something sus.
Hell, if e.g. PM was caught with his hands in the till, that actually exonerates the entire party. Idiot BBC etc can’t see that. This is classic right-wing short-termist thinking.
This is a classic “ The tent was there, as well as all the other measures, to protect the interests of justice and to protect the individuals involved. So it was a proportionate and necessary step.”
How? How? and gie us peace.
Question, is Dame Mone now Scot free? Are the £ billions written off by Sunak – alright?
Using the law to harass political opponents was one of the reasons cited for removing James the Seventh by the Scottish Parliament. The word ‘ despotic ‘ was quite prominent, no better term could be used to describe the current English government.
The English media in Scotland need to make their minds up, one minute they’re reporting that Orkney and Shetland want to return to English protectorate rule like Jersey, or return to Norway because they like those folks better, now they’re reporting that they want tunnels dig between Scotland and the islands for better connectivity
I’m all for tunnels it’s a great idea, but after Scottish independence, so vote for that first
A fresh poll has concluded the majority of young people in Wales support independence for their country
Let’s hear a big giant Yaay for Wales
Good. Maybe Welsh Sion would wish to provide more insight?
Happy to oblige – info for Hamish100, Dr Jim, Skier et al.
Headline figure: 55% of 18-24yr olds would vote ‘Yes’ to a Welsh independence referendum tomorrow.
Headline figure: With with Don’t Knows removed, 36% of people would vote Yes if there were to be a referendum tomorrow on the question “Should Wales be an independent country?”
____________________________
Welsh independence poll boost with surge amongst young people
19 Jul 2023 3 minute read
The latest polling figures for Welsh independence has shown a majority of young people in favour of leaving the Union.
The poll by Redfield and Wilton Strategies revealed that the majority of 18 to 24-year-olds (53%) said they would vote for independence. With don’t knows removed, this stands at 55%.
The majority of 25 to 34-year-olds (52%) also said they would vote ‘yes’ to self-determination.
[…]
In an overall vote the results were 58% for No, 32% for Yes – up to two percentage points from last month – with 10% saying Don’t Know.
However, with Don’t Knows removed, 36% of people would vote Yes if there were to be a referendum tomorrow on the question “Should Wales be an independent country?”.
The majorities of those aged 35 to 44 (55%), 45 to 54 (66%), 55 to 64 (55%), and 65+ (70%) would vote No in a referendum.
[…]
On the question of whether an independence referendum should take place—and if so, when – 39% would oppose a referendum on Welsh independence being held in the next year, while 33% – up three percentage points – would support one being held in this timeframe.
There was a split on whether a referendum should be held if the UK Government does not agree to it. A total of 35% said a poll should only be held if Westminster gives the green light, but 34% disagreed with this condition.
Source: https://nation.cymru/news/welsh-independence-poll-boost-with-surge-amongst-young-people/
Source: https://redfieldandwiltonstrategies.com/welsh-westminster-senedd-independence-referendum-voting-intention-14-16-july-2023/
Cheers.
You know you’ve got the Tories on the run on child poverty when at PMQs all Richie Rishi Sunak could come up with is “the way out of poverty is a job” or to rephrase
“work will set you free”
Now when and where did we hear that phrase before?
Indeed Dr Jim….talking of Rishi….
I saw a Gif someone had created on social media…with….
Rishi Sunak standing at a podium….the words written on the podium…stated
“Crash economy….Deflect blame…Talk boats”
So very very true is it not…..
Sure if the same was done for Sir Kid Starver then the words written on the podium could be…
U Turns….Deflect blame…Copy Tories
When in Scotland however both of them could also include the words written on the podium that stated ‘Blame the SNP’
”Work will set you free !”
In work poverty has increased from 13% in 1969-70 to 17% in 2019-20 ( Institute for Public Policy research ).
The death rate from Covid was more than twice as high in the poorest families compared to those in the richest .( The Health Foundation )
According to retiring Police Scotland chief Sir Ian Livingstone the complexities involved into investigating the alleged *crimes* of the three SNP figures arrested and released without charge are more challenging than any other investigation carried out by every police force in the world it seems
The MET can investigate Boris Johnson his mates and and others in a matter of weeks and find them all guilty of their doings, the Americans can investigate their former President of his wrong doings and have enough evidence to charge him in half the time it takes Police Scotland in this very complex investigation of SNP figures about the value of less money then it has now cost to investigate the so called alleged crimes
We’re talking here about a similar value to Boris Johnson’s wallpaper, to which the population, media and Police force of England all laughed about nightly on the TV, yet in Scotland these unproven charges after two years blue murder tents and complex examination are to go on and on continuing to be even more complex I have no doubt until the next general election is over, in the hope that the situation will damage the SNP so much the people of Scotland won’t vote for them
Whichever group or body is behind this are clearly mug punter gamblers who don’t understand the Scottish psyche one little bit if they really believe folk in Scotland are so thick as to believe no news means guilt of something
Perhaps they’re hoping to bleed the three SNP figures dry of any financial assets they have to pay for their legal representatives in this matter, I can categorically tell them that won’t work, because if money is needed there are around 85 thousand SNP members who’ll quite happily chuck in a few quid to cover any excess costs if they’re asked, and many others who are not members also
As the weeks drag on all that is being proven is that either Police Scotland are in fact completely incompetent, or the whole debacle is a politically motivated attack proving that Police Scotland are as corrupt as the MET in London, either way if no charges are made or ridiculously stupid charges are trumped up, somebody’s house of political cards looks like tumbling down, and something tells me it’s not going to be the SNP that takes the fall
We all respect the *uniform* of the police in Scotland, but they’d better come up with something to respect the people who wear that uniform
If the people of Scotland get the slightest whiff that following his retirement, Police Scotland’s Sir Ian Livingstone is destined for the House of Lords for services to *British policing* Scotland will be destined for independence faster than you can say Lord George for Ffookes sake
Scots are not goldfish, we have long memories and a deep understanding for the use of the internet
Brilliant summation, sir, I believe Police Scotland may well be on the horns of a dilemma!
I’d like to propose sticking the boot in after the dust settles.
First step would be a requirement that anyone that’s in the justice chain, from rank & file copper to Lord Advocate, must declare any “politically active groups” that they are members of.
These roles carry a high position of power and as such it’s a perfectly reasonable policy to declare political leanings. This would of course include Orange Lodges, Masonic Lodges, and all the other dark semi-secret organizations that pull the strings in Scottish legal circles.
There is precedent in this during the Thomas Hamilton inquiry, given that those same strings were what allowed him to own weapons despite being a clear danger to others.
Second step would be a full public inquiry into the investigation, looking into possible political motivations. A further inquiry would look into the “leaks” to the press.
It does seem to be extremely challenging to find something, anything, just one single thing, no matter how small, to change someone with in this case. Wheelbarrows, ladies razors, pens. ‘FHS we have to find something’!
The loooong delay in the Police investigation into Campervangate may be that they have been relying on Damn Jackie Baillie’s abacus in doing their calculations , which has been known to have glitches in the past .
Or as any five year old could tell you , it is as much use as a Foulkes in The House of Horrors .
So like Santa’s Xmas list , they are having to check it twice to determine who has been naughty and who has been nice .
If Police Scotland are nice this year maybe Santa will bring them some more magic blue tents . we have learned are a prerequisite for any investigations into alleged accounting malfeasance .
A farce. The ‘investigation’ now costs more than the campervan chaos. Public monies being wasted. The Rangers fiasco, the Salmond show trial. Wasting £Billions that could have been better spent.
The Police budget should be cut.
MSM Monitor points out today that whenever there is an embarrassing issue in England, such as the NHS doctors’ strike today, BBC Scotland finds something to complain about in Scotland’s NHS. Hence today’s headline news that new builds in Scottish hospitals have “snagging” (which is absolutely normal in all building projects). Fake news.
Hundreds of problems found in NHS Scotland building projects
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-66189489
My response,
Thank goodness someone is doing a job of protecting us from ‘gerry’ builders and cheapest costs.
Saw the Aberdeen report of Asbestos found in old hospital buildings, maybe we will hear about the domestic houses with decorative ceilings with the same problem.
Aye, pretty desperate stuff from Andrew Picken – Submitting FOIs seems to have become the modern equivalent of skip-diving, https://archive.ph/KBiqu which keeps ACH-him’s suit and brolly looking pristine..
So 40% of the article examines results of the NHSs own QA reports with links to BBC articles inserted, and 60% examines previous BBC “News” articles….
Perhaps “Hundreds of problems found with BBC Scotland propaganda” might have been a better title….
😂
I don’t think the BBC thought that story thu but then we are not dealing with
the sharpest tacks in the box.
In pointing out these ‘problems’ that are being fixed the BBC has to tell Scotland that the Scottish Gov are actually building new hospitals – quite a few in fact during their 16 years in Government. Something the BBC has tried to avoid reporting but in order to get their SNP Bad they tell people about SNP Good.
How many of the 40 hospitals Johnson promised NHS Eng
are actually under construction? A rhetorical question if ever there was one.
Any house building problem creates snagging problems. It’s built into the project.
If I were a bbc “journalist” I would keep my occupation quiet.
They are the dregs.
Seems the NUJ has been neutered and accepts the political dictat from the bosses.
> If I were a bbc “journalist” I would keep my occupation quiet.
They absolutely do these days.
20 years ago you’d know if someone you just met was in the BBC because they’d proudly tell you within the first 30 seconds of conversation that “I work for the BBC”!
I can’t recall hearing the phrase at all in recent years.
We see every day how certain organisations always take the *British* side of any argument if they are in some way beholden or controlled by the *British* government because the government holds the license under which they can operate
The media organisations in England’s realm are subject to this control, and we have seen from time to time the threats made by the government of the UK to, for example channel 4 several times for straying out of their allowed boundaries when it comes to political reporting
Channel 4 have been threatened with removal from the airwaves by license withdrawal, threatened to be sold to the highest bidder, Boris Johnson even lost it in public stating he would get them off the air because he felt personally offended by their reporting
Notice that no such threats have ever been leveled at GB news which is chock full of rabid ultra right wing zealots and tub thumping sink the boats Trevor’s from Tooting, or that ridiculous Talk TV thing
One other point to notice is that 24 hour TV news channels seem only to exist to report on 24 hour political news even though political news in Britain only happens in the daytime when politicians are awake
No longer do these *news* channels even call themselves that anymore, the use the words *news shows*
Since when are the facts about news a show? and the answer to that one is to avoid concentrating on the boring facts and introduce personal opinion of whomever that channel decides is *relevant* to their output, ergo it ceases to be actual news and might as well be presented by Michael McIntyre with prizes for the best interview
And in fact the news broadcasters every year collectively join together to present themselves with such prizes, then have the temerity to report upon themselves winning those *coveted* prizes
Scotland’s government has zero control of any media in our country, they can’t license it nor can they threaten to remove licenses for any reason whatsoever, as the UK government would word it, Scotland has no competence over broadcasting, and we all know the very bad and malicious reason for that
The Scottish government has asked repeatedly for the powers of devolution to be extended to include broadcasting and the UK English government has point blank refused, and the only reason the UK English government have ever given is that if the SNP Scottish government had control over broadcasting in Scotland they would use it as a propaganda tool to promote independence for Scotland
WELL
Only a government that already uses the power and control of broadcasting as a political propaganda tool would accuse another government of doing the same thing
More people in Britain watch channel 4 Countdown, which is a word game show only shown for one hour in the afternoon, than the rolling 24 hour per day BBC news
Years old repeats of Mock the week on the Dave channel receive higher viewing figures than BBC news
Now I don’t think that people don’t like watching or are interested in the news, I think people don’t trust a word that comes out of the mouths of news programmes so they vote with their remote control and watch something that’ll entertain them instead
No news is good news, except in England’s propaganda Britain where there’s no such thing as no news, they make sure to invent it specially for you whether you want it or not
I agree with this analysis on the whole, but must dispute one statement:
“One other point to notice is that 24 hour TV news channels seem only to exist to report on 24 hour political news even though political news in Britain only happens in the daytime when politicians are awake”
Just because political news happens in the daytime, this does not mean that politicians (even in the HoC) are awake…
👍 least of all continent
Just read a tweet by a BritNat that states :
“How can a party with so many charges hanging over them – corruption embezzlement fraud still govern? Have we all to accept it as ‘the norm’ in Scotland”?
Answer…
Well with everything that has been done and that has gone down (been exposed) in relation to the Tory UK government, where much corruption, incompetence and wrongdoing has been exposed, we here in Scotland are expected just to ‘accept’ THAT as the norm…..but the person who tweeted the above in relation to the Scottish government , has, it seems, no beef with that…or indeed I am sure the suspect PPE story and Police investigation concerning one MICHELLE MONE….plus this Britnat is basing HER accusations ON BritNat anti SNP tabloid sensationalist headlines and too via a (indiscreet) disclosure from a Chief Constable….to keep the story ALIVE….as every little helps….New New Labour in Scotland that is…they think !
Then we also have brass necked, double standards Dross jump on the same bandwagon where he tweeted :
“The SNP are now being investigated for “potential embezzlement” and “misuse of funds”.
We all deserve full transparency from the SNP leadership on this murky episode”.
Same Dross who as a TORY is more than aware of many “murky episodes” linked to HIS party and too the ‘lack of transparency’ on Tory UK government business (badness)…but then when it comes to realising and admitting that …well then his, Dross’s, self awareness, as a (missing) quality is something that he sadly lacks…as a typical TORY and fully paid up member of the BritNat brigade.
Apparently someone from The Scotsman (INO) was on GMS stating yet again that “arrests were imminent”….so who is supplying him with that information…and if someone is…is that then itself NOT worth investigating…and too BBC GMS speculating on a ‘Live’ police investigation….
So today newspapers (who let’s be honest are no friend of the SNP indeed they are the opposite) are promoting that the investigation into the SNP finances is being extended for “political embezzlement” as sourced via the Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone. stating that “Police investigation into SNP finances has ‘moved beyond the initial reports”,…..so nothing found via initial investigation so must then, as a investigation , be extended to grow ‘arms and legs’ to prolong it as an investigation…
So….how is the Michelle Mone Police investigation going ?…..will there also be “arrests” and “charges” connected to HER case……I mean how is SHE allowed to venture to foreign shores enjoying her ill gotten wealth instead of being told to NOT leave the country until investigations complete…..and why has Michael Gove not been reported as being ‘arrested’ ‘questioned’ via HIS involvement in emails between himself and HER on this…..via the “leaked private emails between the two of them”..or if he has been questioned has that incident been suppressed as an event….or did he just get a ‘questionnaire’ to complete via the Met….aided by HIS lawyers….
“Between May and June 2020, PPE Medpro was awarded two government contracts worth £203m to supply masks and medical gowns.
Unusually, the company was only a few weeks old when it signed the first of these agreements. In December 2020, BBC News reported (shocked they did) that millions of medical gowns the firm supplied, worth £122m, had never been used. The Guardian newspaper’s investigation, based on leaked documents, alleged Baroness Mone had financially benefited from the company. Emails released under Freedom of Information laws show Baroness Mone referring the company to a government minister during the pandemic”……
Of course we all know WHO that government minister was….and he is STILL a government minister but apparently he is untouchable….same one who was ordered by courts to release findings on a ‘secret’ poll on the Union…but has NOT !…and with NO repercussion…how predictable !
So spare us the faux indignation and shock on the story connected to the SNP …as they , compared to everything the Tories have done and are STILL doing as a party and individually, are not , as a party, in the SAME league as far as being THE actual REAL baddies in the UK is concerned within politics plus they, as a party and UK government, have a vast record of questionable and actual wrongdoing under THEIR watch via different Tory PM’s….and ministers (Tory MP’s too have been arrested …and one was imprisoned i.e. Charlie Elphicke on sexual offenses)
Yes I am aware this is a ‘Live’ police investigation but then OTHERS are too and they seem to be being allowed to ‘speculate’ and ‘comment’ and too seem to have a ‘contact’ that supplies them with ‘up to date’ info on what is happening and what will happen in this case via the Police investigation….
So it seems to me…. tis a ‘free for all’ situation where many are being pardoned/excused from commentating on this ‘Live’ case with NO repercussions…so why would it be different for us to do so also ?
So seems fair that on here, and elsewhere that we also should be ALLOWED to add our input and our perspective/opinions/speculations as well on what is happening in this case …if not then that in itself should also be investigated as to why NOT ???…though, in fairness, I am ONLY quoting what is actually happening and has happened…..unlike OTHERS via MSM and social media….as they are acting like Judge and Jury with their conclusions being GUILTY before proven INNOCENT.
And indeed many who are guilty, were always guilty, were tried by law and found guilty but not *guilty enough* they will never be innocent in the eyes of any reasonable human being yet end up free as birds and even financially profit by the experience because they are connected to the *right* people
You me and the man next door would be staring up at a high window in the poky, and these folk sail breezily on
“Just read a tweet by a BritNat that states :
“How can a party with so many charges hanging over them – corruption embezzlement fraud still govern? Have we all to accept it as ‘the norm’ in Scotland”?”
A BritNat making the case for Independence? Surely not!
Ooooh I see. The didn’t mean the tories… Oops!
@ iusedtobeenglish @ 1.08pm
LOL…indeed ….spot on …that was what I thought too when I first read it ….alas BritNat’s do NOT understand irony it seems….or are aware of the old…Pot, Kettle, Black phrase….
Have a nice day
🙂
Or self-awareness.
Nice day to you too NMRN
I find the Chief Constable’s intervention rather strange.
Has he submitted the report to the fiscal? Has he not?
My generic view on this surely it is up to the Organisation concerned to determine how they wish to spend the money freely donated or if I now donate money to a local charity can I now specify exactly how it is spent with the person next to me wanting their equivalent donation to be spent differently. It’s a mire.
Still please see the following charity which may be of interest. Please give freely or not at all.
https://spbf.org.uk/
Appendix C of its constitution is of particular mirth.
Still can get my head around the need for a tented village in order to protect the individuals. Protect from what? The news pack were all in situ. Maybe the police can investigate who informed them. Maybe not.
PR disaster for Police Scotland.
“I find the Chief Constance’s intervention rather strange”
Yes Hamish….and also strange is the lack of progress via updates by any senior ranking officer from The Met on the Michelle Mone case….and also , how IT, as a scandal, is almost a NON event (non existent) in relation to the collective media’s CURRENT speculations and reporting of…..via news where WE are and elsewhere….did we imagine it ?…..or is it something else that will be consigned to another….sweep sweep…..under the bulging Tory carpet of scandals and wrongdoing ?
Is it a case of with Michelle Mone that ‘out of sight’ (via the media) then they hope that then results in it, as a scandal, being out of the public’s collective ‘minds’….while as a media they focus upon and obsess about all and anything connected to the SNP or rather for them their neverending and voracious mission/quest to constantly promote their collective #SNPBAD…..as a credible and they hope, damaging, impact for the SNP and independence too…
I am sure many on here and outwith here have kept a ‘score sheet’ on the many many scandals, wrongdoings etc linked to the Tory party and too also via them as a UK government….where the media, feeling pressurised by viral social media news on stories/scandals linked to the Tories have then , as a media, been forced to ‘mention’ (fleetingly) their Tory scandals….. BUT unlike this incident linked to the SNP have not, as a media, obsessed and over promoted the Tory scandals as #ToriesBadReallyBad……indeed the SNP finance story, like the Ferry story have become serialised and resurrected by the media on a weekly basis…unlike the very much WORSE #ToryBad stories (scandals) which were ‘one off’ stories (scandals) via the media….as in mentioned ONCE only with the then intention of IT as a Tory scandal becoming filed under a ‘outta sight outta mind’ event (scandal).
As to to New New Labour well they cannot stand aloft as if they are somehow distinct and thus free from any scandals linked to their party….either in the past (these too have been logged) or NOW where currently the latest one is on a story (scandal) that “Labour suspends MP Geraint Davies over sexual harassment allegations. A long-serving MP has had the Labour whip suspended after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced from five women stretching back over several years”…..so they, New New Labour, can also ‘Do one’ if they try to adopt the same ‘Glass House’ style politics as their FRIENDS in the Tory party…..then we also have the Lib Dems….well we all know about THEIR many ‘stories’/scandals etc …if you do not then just #AskAlex…….
Sorry but before members of the media, opposition parties and BriTnat Trolls assume they can ‘Cast the first stone’ upon the SNP then they should consider their own respective ‘sins’ …..unfortunately for them many of us are only too aware of what THEY are…..hence why we still support and defend the SNP.
The media again are a serious problem in all of this, “we must not speculate” they inform us the general public, then they go on to interview opposition figures and other so called journalists to invite the very speculation they told us we should not engage in
We read tweets by people like DRoss using words like embezzlement and fraud as if they have information the rest of us are not privy to
Well what’s wrong with that? some might say, and the truth is if this investigation is in the public interest then we the Scottish people are that very public, and we’re damn well interested given that the people and political party involved are voted for by 50% of our country, apart from the fact that the money in question was given by us the people who vote for that party
Not one penny of any monies donated to the SNP ever came from the taxpayer in general or any of the opposition parties, it’s our money that we gave freely to use on whatever the SNP needed to do to work towards independence for our country
So in some ways what the F has any of this got to do with Police Scotland or any investigation commissioned by anyone outside of those who freely invested their money for our own reasons?
This malicious vindictive attack on the party 50% of us vote for doesn’t even come within a million miles of even the behaviour of the local opposition to independence in Scotland
We have the Liberal Democrats with not enough members to fill a Scout hall yet they produce and deliver more paper literature on a regular basis than any other party in Scotland, where does their money come from?
We have the Tories who umpteen times have been proven to have received black laundered money from Northern Ireland and even Russia
We have the Labour party who appear to have more stuffed brown envelopes than the Royal Mail
But the SNP has a camper van and Nicola Sturgeon has clicky pens and a coffee machine in her house that requires blue murder tented secrecy to hide from those of us that voted for her and are perfectly happy that she enjoys her coffee when she eventually gets home of an evening
The Police removed milk, I saw them do it, we all saw a cop standing outside her door with three quarters of a carton of F…..G milk behind the polis white van
Did they borrow the milk to make tea in the van? did they want to use Nicola’s coffee machine to make sure it was functioning evidence?
All of this is our business, we paid for the party and we voted for Nicola Sturgeon, so don’t come the legal advice warnings about not talking about this with us, this is our party and these are our public figures and we’ve proved we rather like them
So if the whatever passes for law in Scotland has something to say about it then it’s about time we began demanding what that is or get to F..k out of our business
By extension Police Scotland and whoever’s behind this is saying we all broke a law
After two years I demand to know which law and the amount of my involvement in doing so for donating my money
I do hope they’re not going to do the helicopter thing again, because all SNP members paid for that, so we’re guilty as charged there, arrest us all
I ranted away there, I’m really really angry about this
If your reading this Nicola and you want to blab you know where we are, spill the beans on the lot of them, and I’m sorry I made my own clicky pen instead of buying yours
God, I’m guilty again of pen fraud or something
Brilliant rant Dr Jim-that’s exactly how I feel as well
Brilliant. Great rant.
I’m a SNP member and I donate as well as pay my membership money. Surely I should have a right to say that I APPROVE of how the SNP have spent/spend my money.
If others complained then I want to NOT complain!
Posting this because I thought it was witty – we could do with a laugh 🙂
No connection between lurid and very tardy statements re. Campervangate and the upcoming and likely loss of Tory seats in three by-elections today .
Nothing to see here , folks !
Sir Kid Starver practices what Blair preaches.
What is the SNP policy on new oil and gas fields ? Not sure after the Stephen Flynn interview on Sky, I had thought we were pushing renewables ?
There’s a lot of mischief being promoted in the media by industries who feel threatened, notably the financial circus fighting tooth and nail to continue to reap vast profits.
Renewables have gone a long way to reducing reliance on burning of oil and gas (which IS the problem) but products made from oil and gas (fertiliser, plastics, insulation, etc., etc..) continue to be in demand, so the oil and gas industry is not going to disappear for a very long time indeed.
If we can ever break free from WM’s obsession with blocking energy saving strategies and policies to ensure vast profits are maintained, there will be increasing demand for insulation, hence ca 60% reduction in oil and gas burned.
The problem is there is no pressing need for new field developments, but to Flynn falls the unenviable task of countering nonsense circulated in the media over the end of the oil and gas sector, not so different to the nonsense from Mr Wood back in 2014….
Oil and gas burning will continue to reduce, but demand for the raw product is not going away any time soon…